166 ANNUAL REGISTER, 181&. [Nov. 



been consumed. The flames ex- 

 tended their ravages to the pre- 

 mises of Messrs. Smith and Co., 

 cutlers, in Lombard-street, the 

 greatest part of which was 

 destroyed. The front wall re- 

 mained standing, but in a peril- 

 ous situation. The firemen, who 

 were actively employed on the 

 spot, repeatedly warned the pas- 

 sengers to keep at a distance ; 

 but such is the temerity which 

 attends the gratification of cu- 

 riosity, that this notification of 

 danger had but little effect. At 

 half-past three, that part of the 

 wall which extended from the 

 second floor to the attics, fell 

 into Lombard-street, overwhelm- 

 ing, on its reaching the ground, 

 no less than seven persons, in- 

 cluding two boj's. The unfortu- 

 nate victims of their own incau- 

 tion were carried to St. Bartho- 

 lomew's hospital. It is not 

 ascertained that any lives were 

 sacrificed on the spot, although 

 this may not be improbable. The 

 two boys are since dead. 



24. Hannver. — The nineteenth 

 number of the Collection of the 

 Laws contains the following ordi- 

 nance : — 



George, Prince Regent, &c. 



In the efforts which, since the 

 happy deliverance of our German 

 territories from foreign domina- 

 tion, we have constantly employed 

 to heal the wounds thereby re- 

 ceived, and particularly to restore 

 the much deranged finances, the 

 question which chiefly presented 

 itself was, what arrangement was 

 to be made respecting the future 

 payment of the arrears of interest 

 which have accrued on sums 

 borrowed on our domains and 

 faithful provinces during the 



period of the usurpation of the 

 enemy. Now, though serious 

 doubts exist whether and in how 

 far our domains and faithful 

 provinces may be bound to the 

 liquidation of the said arrears, 

 after the domain and provincial 

 revenues dedicated to the, dis- 

 charge of the same, have become 

 the prey of the enemy ; yet it is 

 our wish that the creditors who 

 have been deprived of their 

 interests may be compensated, 

 in as far as is possible consistently 

 with the resources of our domains, 

 and without imposing too heavy 

 a burthen on our faithful subjects. 

 But while we cherish a confident 

 hope that the creditors will 

 obtain at least a part of the said 

 arrears of interest, it is at the 

 same time still found impracti- 

 cable to take any such step, on 

 account of the various investiga- 

 tions which must previously be 

 completed, in order to fix with 

 greater precision the amount and 

 terms of the payment. Until, 

 however, this arrangement be 

 made, we cannot permit particular 

 creditors, by availing themselves 

 of judicial proceedings against 

 our domains and faithful provinces, 

 to procure payment of the said 

 arrears in detached cases, and 

 thereby to obtain an undue pre- 

 ferencefor themselves overothers. 

 We therefore consider ourselves 

 bound to order as follows: — 



1, No judicial process shall be 

 brought against the treasuries of 

 our domains or faithful provinces, 

 on account of arrears of interest 

 on debts of the said domains and 

 provinces due during the usurpa- 

 tion of the enemy. 



2. This rule holds with respect 

 to the arrears of interest of every 



capital 



